High speed packaging machine



\ July s, 1960 Fild Nov. l, 1956 J. H. STROOP HIGH SPEED PACKAGINGMACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet l nvm/Tok. JOHN /7. ST/Qoof 'ATTORNEY July 5,1960 J. H. 'f'ooP HIGH SPEED PACKAGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledNov. l, 1956 P mw mm ms. mJ/l N w J July 5, 1960 J. H. srRooP 2,943,428

HIGH SPEED PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1, 195e s sheets-sheet sINVENTOR. JOHN h. Smao ATTRA/EY MMV 4 July 5, 1960 J. H` sTRooP2,943,428

- HIGH SPEED PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 o 77a I n i f1 A TTORNEV July 5, 1960 J. H. sTRooP 2,943,428

HIGH SPEED PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Nov. l, 1956 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5United States Patent O l. 2,943,428 HIGH SPEED PACKAGING MACHINE John H.Stroop, New York, N.Y., assignor to Vol-Pak, Inc., New York, N.Y., acorporation of New York Filed Nov. 1, 1956, Ser. No. 619,877 '6 Claims.(Cl. 'S3-59) This invention is concerned with packaging machines ingeneral and more specifically with an improved high speed, articlepackaging machine. The machine according to this invention, is of a type-wherein two webs are brought together around the article to bepackaged, and sealed at the edges thereof.

. An object of this invention is to provide a machine of theaforementioned type which is relatively simple in construction andreliable in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine such that it hasa superior ability for high speed continuous operation While also beingeconomical with respect to wastage or overilo-w of the articles beingpackaged. Thus, it is not necessary to provide the machine with asubstantially greater number of articles being fed in for packaging thanthe quantity which are being continuously packaged.

Another object of the invention is to provide armachine which includes afeeding arrangement for maintaining the necessary supply of articles-for packaging, without any overflow of articles.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine of thetype indicated which employs a knife for cutting the strip of packagedarticles into `separate package units, wherein the arrangement for suchknife includes an adjustable drive in connection with the package stripssuch that the timing of each cut may be adjusted while the machine is inmotion. In this way the cutting adjustment is extremely simple and maybe carried out by any non-skilled operator.

Briey the invention concerns a combination that is employed in a highspeed packaging machine. Such machine having a pair of webs broughttogether and sealed around each package. Furthermore, said webs aresubjected to a timed preforming pocket deformation, and said objects arefed into the pockets thus formed in predetermined quantities from anupstanding chute.l The particular combination of elements includes thosemaking up an automatic controlled-rate feed means which comprises meansfor feeding the said objects to the entrance of said chute at a rateexceeding the rate of packaging said objects. The combination alsocomprising a means for cont-rolling the interruption of said feedingmeans -whenever a predetermined quantity of objects is located at theentrance of said chute awaiting entrance therein, in order to controlthe total feed -so as to maintain an adequate supply without overflow.

Another brief characterization of the invention is one concerning animproved high speed packaging machine. Such packaging machine comprisinga pair of cooperating rollers of relatively small diameter having aseries of peripherally spaced commodity-defining pockets to receive thearticles to be packaged. The machine also comprising means for 'feedingtwo independent webs downwardly between the cooperating rollers, and anadditional roller having the same `diameter as, and cooperating with,each of said first named pair of rollers to preform said web within saidpockets. The machine further comprising means for supplying a stream ofarticles to said pockets in succession for packaging by said webs, saidadditional rollers being driven in timed relation with said first namedpair of rollers and having a series of protrusions thereon situatedcorrespondingly withrelation to said pockets for preforming the webstherein.

A preferred embodiment ofthe invention is set forth ICC below by way ofexample thereof, which is described herein and illustrated in thedrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of the entire machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the upper part of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional detailed View, somewhat further enlarged,taken along the lines 3--3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of thearrows;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation View, partly in cross section,taken along the lines 4 4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of thearrows;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 5--5 of Fig. 4,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a partial, plan View taken along the lines 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower part of the machinewith some of the housing broken away to show the interior elements, and;

Fig. 8 is a partial plan view taken along the lines 8-.8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. l, the overall operation of the machine will bedescribed, lfollowed by a more detailed description of various elementsthereof. In the latter case, specific reference will be made to otherfigures of the drawings. The embodiment of the invention that isillustrated is a relatively simple and compact machine that is mountedon a base 11 by means of various framework structure such as side panels12. At the top of the machine toward the rear thereof, when viewed asshown in Fig. l, there is an article holding hopper 15 which has anupstanding slidingly adjustable door \16 thereon. The position of thisdoor controls the iiow of articles, e.g. a plurality of generally flatcircular tablets 17 illustrated. These articles 17 move horizontallyalong both sides of a vibratory feed trough 18 at a controlled rate asdetermined by an electrically driven vibrator 19.

The tablets 17 are deposited by gravity from the sloping lip at the endof the trough 18 into a chute 22. Within the chute 22, there are aplurality of individual channels or sub chutes 23 which may be observedthrough a transparent front panel 24 which makes up one wall of thechute 22.

As the tablets 17 build up on top of one another within the chute 22,they reach a level where they Iobstruct a light beam lfrom behind thechute 22 that is directed out to a photo-cell unit 25. This photo-cellunit operates to control a switch for the circuit which controlsenergization of the vibrator 19, so that whenever the given level ofarticles has been reached, the vibrator is cut off until the articlesare fed down Ibelow such level again. In this manner the feeding ofarticles is controlled by the rate at which the articles are fed throughthe packaging elements of the machine, without any inefficiency orwastage problem created -by an overow of articles. This is done whilestill insuring an adequate supply of articles, by having the vibratorset at a speed something greater than the rate of packaging thearticles, so that an adequate supply is always maintained.

As the tablets progress down the individual sub chutes 23, they arereleased from the bottom of each'such channel into correspondinglylocated pockets which have been preformed in each of a pair of webs 28`and 29. Webs 28 and 29 are brought around over the surface of packageforming and sealing rollers 30 and 32 (see Figs. 4 and 5) where thepackaging operation is carried out. It is pointed out that there is alongitudinal slitting knife 31 (see Fig. fl) in connection with each web28 and 29 in order to divide the strip of packaged articleslongitudinally, between any given set of strips of articles as packaged.i

noaa-ias As the packaged article strips leave the forming and sealingrollers 30 and 32, they are maintained under tension by means of pulldown rollers (not shown in Fig. 1) acting in conjunction with idler,marking rollers A34- and 36 respectively. There is a transverseseparating knife 35 which reciprocates rapidly to cut the strip acrossbetween packaged tablets. In the illustration, according to Fig, 1, thisknife 35 is not operating andv a strip` of packaged articles is showncontinuing `below the knife. AS will be shown hereafter, there is anadjustment for the operation of the knife 35 relative to the strip sothat cutting action may be quickly and easily changed to fall in thedesired location between the individual packages of packaged articles.

The main power source for driving the. mechanical elements of themachine may take various forms, but is illustrated as being an electricmotor 38 which acts in conjunction with a chain drive to turn the pairof sealing rollers 30, 32, as will be pointed out in more detail below.

Referring to Figs. 2 andV 3, some of the details bf the preliminary feedaction of the machine will be described. Articles to be packaged will bedeposited within hopper which has an inwardly sloping panelled portion41 at the front, thatr carries attached thereon at the lowerend of thefront panel, the sliding door 16 which was ritentioned above and isgenerally indicated on Fig. 1. Sliding door 16 leaves an adjustableopening at the bottom of the front panelled portion 41 of the hopper 15.The adjustment for door 16 may be carried out in any con.- venientmanner, such as by means of a threaded shaft 42 which is -attached tothe sliding door 16 by means of a socket 43a attached to a bracket 43illustrated. There is a collar (not shown) attached to the end of shaft42. This collar is freely rotatable within the socket 43a but actstherewith to transmit end thrust so as to move the bracket 43 and door16 longitudinally, with the end of threaded shaft 42. At the other endof the shaft 42 there is a knurled knob 44 for effecting the desiredadjustment. Shaft 42 is supported near the upper end by internallythreaded lug 45 which is fastened on to the hopper 15 by means of abracket 46. The entire hopper 15 is detachable lfrom the framework ofthe machine and is supported on the framework of the machine betweenside panels 47 by resting on the back edge of the machine with. ahook-like edge extension 48 overlapping the same. The hopper isadditionally held securely in place by means of clamps 49 with thumbscrews as illustrated.

It will be observed that the hopper 15 is constructed so as to havesloping front sides and bottom, as indicated by the dashed line showing50 at the bottom of the hopper, so that the articles will tend to slidedownward and through the adjustably opened door 16.

As the articles are deposited at the end of the trough 18 they are madeto travel horizontally along both sides thereof` by the vibratory actionproduced when vibrator 19 is energized. It will be noted that as thearticles travel along the trough 18 from right to left (as viewed inFig. 2) they tend to become lined up in a single row, individuallyresting against the inner edge of. either side of the trough 18, asillustrated in Fig. 3. For this reason a sorting' out and elimination ofbroken pieces of the tablets 17 being fed as well as dust therefrom, iscarried out. This sorting and cleaning is electuated by means of aseries of openings or slots 51 on the inwardly sloping sidewalls of -araised central structure 52, along the center of the trough 18. Thus,the dust and broken pieces of the tablets 17 will fall through the slots51 and into the central area within the structure 52, from which placethey will tend to fall and be drawn downward through a conduit 53. Inorder to make, this action more effective, a vacuum or suctionattachment (not shown) may be made to the conduit 53 for carrying awaylall dust and broken particles which have been thus sorted out.

At the left end (as viewed in Fig. 2) of the trough 18 there is adownward sloping lip 56 over which the tablets 17 slide and fall intothe chute 22. The tablets then continue downward by gravity between anlinside panel 57 and the outer panel 24, which stands verticallyparallel therewith. These panels are spaced apart just enough to freelyaccommodate the tablets when lying in a vertical position, i.e. standingon edge. Consequently, the articles will become piled up upon oneanother and spread out between a sloping side wall 58 (see Fig. 4) onone side, to a similar sloping side wall 59 on the other (Fig. 4).

It is pointed out that while a vertical chute 22 is employed in theillustrated embodiment, it might be more advantageous to use a slopeother than vertical for some types of articles being packaged.Futhermore, a sloping chute having a lesser angle of elevation might beemployed for tablets like those illustrated, without imparing theoperation. If the articles were particularly fragile, it might benecessary to employ a lesser slope.

The tablets are being fed at a rate greater than theV rate at which theyare deposited in the packages. Consequently, they will continue lto pileup vertically in the chute 22 until the level of an opening 62 isreached. Opening 62 is located through the back panel 57, and has alight source 63 (sec Fig. 5) located directly behind it. Horizontallyaligned with the. beam of light which is thus emitted through theopening 62 there lies the photo-cell unit 25. This unit 25 may be astandard piece of equipment, and the details of its construction andoperation will not be described since they form no part per se of thepresent invention. It may be noted that even though the front panel 24is constructed of transparent material, as indicated above, there may bean opening 64 therethrough which is horizontally aligned with theopening 26, so that a full strength beam of light may pass through fromthe light source 63 to the photo-cell unit 25.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be observed that the buildup of thearticles 17 as they pile up upon one another will finally cause one ormore articles to come to rest lying across the path of light betweenopenings 62 and 64. When this happens the circuit controlled byphoto-cell unit 25 will cut off the operation of the vibrator 19, as hasbeen indicated above. Then, when the tablet or tablets thus blocking theopening are removed, the vibrator will be reenergized. In order to makesure that the pile up of tablets 17 does not take place in a manner suchthat three or four of the tablets come to rest with an opening made asthey touch one another, so positioned that it will allow passage of thelight beam through from light source 63 to the photo-cell unit 25; thereis a relatively thin vertical arm 65l which has al bent bottom or footportion 66 thereon. Foot 66 is so situated relative to the holes oropenings 62 and 64 such that the distance from the center line-of theseopenings to the upper surface of the foot 66, measured perpendicularlyfrom the surface of foot 66, is equal to the radius of the circle ofanyone of the tablets 17.

It will be noted that the arm 65 is attached in a convenientV manner tothe front panel 24 (see Fig. 5) and it has a width such that it extendsfor the full distance which separates the front panel 24 from the backpanelA 57, i.e. slightly greater than the width or thickness of tablets17 when standing on edge. Now, by referring to Fig. 4, it will be.observed that the action of this arm 65 and its lower foot portion 66 isto prevent the possible build-up of tablets 17, such that a substantialamount of light might pass between adjacent tablets across the path fromopening 62 to opening 64', as indicated above. This possible build-up isprevented because the tablets-'are caused to lie with the locus of theircenter lines lying parallel to the foot 66 in the vicinity'of thealigned openings 62v and 64. Consequently,y no matter what thev randompile- UP' is; the' most. unfavorable situation possible. is. thatillustrated in Fig. 4 where two tablets 17a and 17b are resting withtheir point of tangency lying at the center of the light beam path. Now,it will be observed that practically -all of the light beam throughopening 62 will be cut off, even in this most unfavorable situation.Therefore, the desired switching action will take place, and thepossibility of an undesired continuing operation of the vibrator 19 hasbeen eliminated. With more favorable conditions, a tablet may be held inthe dotted line position indicated by 17c so, that the light beam wouldbe entirely cut off.

At the lower edge of the main chute 22, i.e. between the bottom edges ofsloping side walls 58 and 59, there are the four individual sub-chutes23 which are continuously filled with tablets 17 from the main chute 22above. In order to continuously maintain the sub-chutes 23 filled withtablets, and avoid any bridging across the tops thereof (which wouldprevent the continuous entry of tablets therein) each sub-chute 23 is.provided with a pair of kicker arms 70 and 71. There are a pair ofthese kicker arms 70, 71 for each sub-chute 23, and each pair issubstantially identical in structure and operation so that only one pairneed be described.

The kicker arms 70 and 71 are each similar in construction and extendacross the width (between panels 24 and 57) of the chute 22. They arevertically moveable alternately from one extreme position well above thetop of the corresponding sub-chute 23 (arm 70 in Fig. 4), to a lowerextreme position such that the kicker arm is down flush with the top ofthe sub-chute 23 (arm 71 in Fig. 4). Each of kicker arms 70 and 71oscillates from its upper to its lower position in a slot 72 and 73respectively, through the back panel 57.

Referring to Fig. 5, the related structure for causing the operation ofthe kicker arms is illustrated. It will be noted that each kicker arm-is substantially identical so that a description of one will suice toexplain the operation of both. The kicker arm itself is in factconstructed of a rectangular plate 69 which extends through thevertically located slot 73. The plate 69 has integrally attached theretoa sleeve 68, which surrounds a guide rod 67 with a free sliding fit. Theguide rod 67 is fastened to the back panel 57 in any feasible manner,e.g. by lugs 67a, as shown. There is an L-shaped plate 74 fastened tothe rear edge of kicker arm plate 69 in any convenient manner such as bymeans of the machine screws illustrated. The bottom edge of L-shapedplate 74 rests in a peripheral groove around the edge of an eccentriccam 75. Cam 75 is securely attached to, and rotated by, a shaft 76 thatis in turn rotatably `driven by means of a pinion 77 which meshes with agear 78. Gear 78, in turn, is driven by another .gear 79 that issecurely fastened to a shaft 80 which carries the roller 32. Thus theaction of each kicker arm 70 or 71 is driven from the power source forthe machine, and as noted above each of the kicker arms 70 and 71 willhave its eccentric cam set on cam shaft 76 so that the kicker arms ofeach pair oscillate up and down alternately in opposite directions.

` Referring again to Fig. 4, it will be observed that there is anescapement mechanism for determining the release of a given quantity oftablets from the bottom of each subchute 23. In the illustratedembodiment of the invention this escapement is designed to allow onetablet to be deposited at a time from each of the sub-chutes 23. Thiscould be varied, of course, if itshould be desired to deposit two ormore tablets at a time, by designing the escapement for the desirednumber. There is an angle bar 85 which extends horizontally under thelower end of all the sub-chutes 23, and which has a series of openings86 in the horizontal portion thereof which are equal in size to thecross-sectional dimensions of sub-chutes 23. This angle bar 85 isactuated in horizontal reciprocating movement in timed relation with therotation of the sealing rollers 30 and 32 by means of a cam actuated arm87 (see Fig. 5). Arm 87 is spring biased to a counterclockwise rotationaboutits pivot 88, by means of a spring 89 that is attached to anupright pin 90 which is carried by the arm 87. The other end of spring89 is anchored at another pin 91 that is attached to the frame l2 of themachine. There is a rod 92 that is carried by, and extends horizontallyfrom, the free end of the pivoted arm 87. Rod 92 engages the angle bar85 by passing through a hole 93 (Fig. 4) in the vertical side portion ofthe angle bar 85.

'Referring to Fig. 6, it will be observed that there is a cam 97 foroscillating the arm 87 to reciprocate the escapement bar 85. Cam 97 isgenerally cylindrical in outer configuration, but has a contoured faceon the side toward arm 87; This cam is coaxial with a shaft 96 to whichit is securely attached for rotation therewith. A cam wheel or roller 98is carried in a freely rotatable manner by the arm 87, for causingoscillation of arm 87 horizontally about its pivot screw 88. This actioncauses angle bar 8S to be reciprocated horizontally, as indicated above,to cause the openings 86 to be aligned with the bottom of each of thesub-chutes 23.

It is pointed out that for each sub-chute 23 there isan escapement pinor finger 99 (see Fig. 4) which is directly mounted on the angle bar 85,and which acts to move horizontally therewith through an opening 100 inone side of each sub-chute 23 in order to come' in contact with thattablet 17 just above the lower most tablet in the column within eachchute 23. Each linger 99, therefore, acts to hold the column of tablets17 located above the level of the opening 100, while the lower-mosttablet falls through the opening 86When it becomes aligned with thebottom of the chute. It will be noted that this action is mechanicallytimed relative to the packaging action'of rollers 80, so that thearticleswill be deposited at the proper time after each pocket has beenpreformed and stands open ready to receive its tablet. l

Referring principally to Fig. 5, it will be observed that the packagingaction is carried out by the pair of sealing rollers 30 and 32 which arerotated with their axes lying horizontal and parallel to one another.The webs 28 and 29 of packaging material, are fed from supply rolls ofheat scalable material, around a pair of guide rods 102 and over thesurface of sealing rollers 30 and 32 respectively. Since the packageforming mechanism is symmetrical in nature, the action of the two sidesis similar, so that reference need be made to only one side thereof.Cooperating with the roller 32 there is a preforming roller 103 whichlies with its axis horizontal and parallel to the axis of itscooperating package forming roller 32; The web 29 is fed over the guiderod 102 around the surface of the sealing roller 32. As it passesbetween roller 32 and preforming roller 103, the web 29 is deformed bybeing pressed into one of a plurality of pockets or indentations 104(see Fig. 6) that are peripherally spaced around the surface of theroller 32. This deformation, or preforming of a pocket (insofar as theweb is concerned), is carried out by one of a plurality of protrusions105 around the surface of the roller 103. v

It will be noted that although the illustrated protrusions 105 areshaped to just match the corresponding pockets 104, this need notnecessarily be the case since -a deformation of the web 29 may becreated to a somewhat lesser extent by various other configurationsextending from the surface of the roller 103.

The web 29 continues to be fed around the surface of the roller 32during which time it may be softened preparatory to the sealing with theother web 28, by heat transmitted from the roller 32. The rollers 30 and32 may be heated in any feasible manner, e.g. by means of electricalheating elements (not shown) contained in the hollow shafts 80 and 106.The webs 29 and 28 wilL then become sealed together around each tablet17, under 'a predetermined pressure (depending upon the clearancebetween the surfaces of rollers 30 and 32), as the tangentiall surfacesof rollers 30 and 32 come together with the two webs therebetween. Thisaction is well-known in the packaging machine art, and need not bedescribed in any greater detail. However, it is pointed out that a veryrapid and simple action may be obtained with a machine'according to thisinvention. The sealing rollers and 32 have relatively small diameters sothat the pockets have wide open mouths as they are formed. This makesthe Iaction in filling them much less exacting and consequently theoperation is more trouble free with the allowable speeds much higher.Volumetric structure for receiving the articles to be packaged iscreated by the preforming of each web in a positive manner by the timedpreforming rollers which are geared to the package forming dies, orsealing rollers, so as to insure a proper pocket between the webs forreceiving the articles. The gearing for providing this timed preformingaction may be accomplished by a simple train of four gears meshingtogether, all securely attached to one of the shafts 80, 106, the shaftfor preforming rollers 103, and the shaft for other preforming roller.One of these gears 107 is shown inrFig. 4 on shaft 80.

It is to be pointed out that .the preforming of the webs of packagingmaterial may be carried out to a greater or lesser extent if desired, aspointed out above, so that the articles deposited may or may not findthemselves within an envelope that is fully open to a size for receivingthe articles, in an unstressed manner. In this manner more fragilearticles may have their pockets cornpletely preformed, whereas thosewith greater strength, or crush resistance, may have the pocket onlypartially preformed to receive them. Y Referring to Fig. 7 inparticular, the action of the transverse article separating knife alongwith `the tensioning mechanism, will be described. The source ofmechanical power for the machine is an electric motor 38 which in thisinstance is mounted lengthwise so that its output includes a rightangled direction changing gear box 109. Gear box 109 has at its output achain drive sprocket wheel 110. Sprocket wheel 110 drives a chain 111,schematically indicated by a dashed line 111 in Fig. 7. The chain 111passes over a pair of tensioning sprocket wheels 112 and 113, that arecarried by stub-shafts which are attached to a pivoted, freely rotatablearm 114 that is pivoted about a shaft 115. There is a spring 116 that isattached at one end to an extremity, or extension 117 of the arm 114.The other end of the spring 116 is attached to the framework of themachine in a convenient manner, e.g. to a loop on the housing of motor38 (as illustrated) in order to provide a spring bias for tending torotate sprocket wheel carrying arm 114 in a clockwise direction aboutits pivot 115, as rviewed in Fig. 7.

'Chain 111 travels around a path which includes a sprocket wheel 125(tFig. 4) that is securely attached to the shaft 80 for causing rotationthereof. The chain 111 continues around another idler sprocket 118 whichis carried on one end of a rocker arm 119. Rocker arm 119 is pivotallyadjustable about a central shaft 120 that is held rigidly in theframework 12 of the machine, and extends horizontally therefrom. Theother end of the arm 119 has pivotally attached thereto a socket 121that is internally threaded to receive the end of a rod 122. Rod 122extends downward to the front of the machine (as viewed in Fig. l) andpasses through an opening in a bracket 123. This opening in bracket 123is somewhat oblong in shape so as to allow for differences in theangular positions of the rod 122, as adjustment is made of the positionfor rocker arm 119 about its pivot 120. In order to make such adjustmentthere is a thumb nut 124, which has a knurled flange as illustrated, andwhich is internally threaded to be received on external threads at thelower extremity of the rod 122. Thus by turning the thumb nut 124, rod122 is drawn downward or released and allowed to move upward, dependingupon the direction of rotation of the nut 124. By this adjustment, thelength of chain 111 which lies betweenthe sprocket wheel 125 (on sealingroller shaft 80) and a sprocket wheel 128 (see Fig. 8) which drives thepull down mechanism; may be varied in accordance with the adjustment ofthe position of rocker arm 119. This adjustment therefore makes a changein the relative positions of the two shafts driven by the sprocketwheels just mentioned, so that the relative position along the strip ofthe transverse cutting action is altered.

Continuing to follow the path of the chain 111 which has been tracedabove beginning at the motor powered sprocket 110, it will be noted thatthe chain 111 passes over the sprocket wheel 123 and then goes down toone more sprocket wheel 129, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. Thissprocket wheel 129 is securely attached to a shaft 130. Also securelyattached to shaft 130 to be rotated thereby, there is a disc 131. Disc131 has a notch 132 in the edge thereof, and the disc acts as a camsurface for a blade 133 which is urged against the surface of the disc131 by reason of the spring biasing action applied in a leverage manneras will appear. There is an adjustment screw 134 that is carried on aknife arm 135. Screw 134 rests against a surface of the cam rider blade133. The knife arm 135 is pivoted for free rotation about the shaft 130,and is urged in a clockwise, rotational direction (as viewed in Fig. 7)by means of a spring 138, which is under tension. The swinging, orpivotal oscillation, of the knife blade arm 135 is controlled by the camrider blade 133 which holds the arm 135 in the position illustrated AinFig. 7, until the notch 132 of the disc 131 reaches blade 133. When thishappens an arm 139 which carries the blade 133 integrally attachedthereon, and which is freely pivoted about a shaft 137; is released andallowed to swing to the right, or counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig.7), for a short period of time, so that .the knife blade arm 135 rapidlyswings over and causes a transverse cut to be made.

The remaining elements of the knife arrangement for making a transversecut across the strip of packaged materials, includes the horizontallyextending knife blade 140 that is fastened at the extremity of the arm135. A cooperating shear blade 141 extends horizontally across themachine, right beside the path traveled by the strip of packaged tabletsshortly after it leaves the strip tensioning puller wheels. Shear blade141 cooperates with blade 140 to provide the transverse cutting actiondesired. In order to obtain the best clean cutting action for this knifearrangement, the blade 141 is adjustable relative to its supportstructure by means of three adjustment screws 142 at either end of theblade 141. Such adjustment is conventional and takes place relative to apair of end support plates 145 and 146. These plates are held in a fixedposition by being supported at the left end of each (as viewed in Figs.7 and 8) by having the shaft 137 pass therethrough. At the other end ofeach of these plates 145 and 146 there is a slotted notch 148 whichcreates a forked structure at that end of each of the plates. Thisforked structure formed by the notch 148 has its two ends lying oneither side of the shaft 120 so as to allow easy assembly of the parts,while fixing the positions of the end plates 145 and 146 when the partsare assembled.

The web tensioning or pull down mechanism includes a pairof-frictionally driven, soft tired wheels 151 and 152. These wheels arefreely rotatable about the shaft 137 upon which they are mounted, butthey are frictionally restrained for maintaining a given tension drivethereto. This lfriction drive may take various forms, e.g. aconventional arrangement which includes a friction material face disc153 on one side of pull down wheel 151. Disc 153 is cemented to theadjacent face of a collar 155 which is pinned or otherwise securelyfastened to the shaft 137 for rotation therewith. Similarly the otherpull down wheel 152 has a friction disc 154 9 in contact with one facethereof, and there is a collar 156 to which disc 154 is cemented. -Thecollar 156 is pinned to shaft 137 for positive rotation therewith.

The amount of frictional force applied between friction face discs 153,154 and their corresponding pull down drive wheels 151 and 152respectively, is determined by a pair of springs 157 and 158 whichsurround the shaft 137 and are attached to a centrally located collar159. It is preferable, of course, to include washers as illustrated,between each spring 157, 158 and the corresponding pull down drivewheels 151 and 152-. By this arrangement the pull down drive maintains aconstant tension on the strip of packaged tablets 17 by reason of havingthe shaft 137 driven at a speed which would provide a higher linearspeed at the surface of wheels 151 and 152 than the speed of travel ofthe strip, as it is formed. The difference in these two speeds is thentaken up by the slippage involved in the frictional drive for wheels 151and 152, so that they actually rotate at a speed less than the speed ofrotation of the drive shaft 137.

In connection with each pull down wheel 151 and 152 there is the idlermarking wheel 36 and 34 respectively. Each marking wheel is locatedtangentially with respect to the corersponding pull down wheel, but onthe other side of the package strip. These idler marking wheels 34 and36 are removably supported on short shafts carried between a pair ofarms 160 and 161 respectively in the manner illustrated. These arms 160Iand 161 are securely fastened to a cross shaft 162. The idler wheels 34and 36 are spring biased into contact with their corresponding pull downwheels 152 and 151 respectively, that are located on the other side ofthe package strip. This spring bias may be accomplished in anyconvenient manner (not shown).

It is pointed out that the idler wheels 34 and 36 have an additionalfunction, in that they may be changed for different batches of materialsbeing packaged. Thus, a distinct code number or marking may be applieddirectly on the strip for each separate batch as the articles arepackaged.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed above in some detail in accordance with the applicablestatutes, this is not to be taken as in any way limiting the invention,but merely being descriptive thereof.

It is claimed:

1. In a high speed packaging machine having a pair of webs broughttogether and sealed around each object packaged, wherein said webs aresubjected to a timed preforming pocket deformation means, and whereinsaid objects are fed into the pocket thus formed in predeterminedquantities from an upstanding chute, automatic controlled-rate feedmeans comprising means for feeding said objects to the entrance of saidchute at a rate exceeding the rate of packaging said objects, said chutehaving transverse dimensions adapted for holding a column of saidobjects with the lowest object just above the pockets as formed, theentrance to said chute having one transverse dimension substantiallyequal to the corresponding transverse dimension of the chute so that theobjects are oriented with one transverse dimension of `each parallel toone another, agitator means alternately moveable at the entrance to saidchute for preventing the formation and maintenance thereacross of abridge formed by two or more of said objects, means for controlling theinterruption of said feeding means whenever a predetermined quantity ofobjects is located at the entrance of said chute awaiting entrancetherein, in order to control thetotal feed so as to maintain an adequatesupply without overflow, and escapernent means responsive to thepreforming pocket deformation means for feeding at least one object intoeach pocket as the webs progress.

2. In a high speed packaging machine having a pair of webs broughttogether and sealed around each object. packaged, wherein said webs aresubjected to a timed preforming pocket deformation means, and whereinsaid obejcts are fed intoI the pocket thus formed in predeterminedquantities from an upstanding chute, automatic controlled-rate feedmeans comprising means for feeding said objects to the entrance of saidchute at a rate exceeding the rate of packaging said objects, said chutehaving transverse dimensions adapted for holding a column of saidobjects with the lowest object just above the pockets as formed, theentrance to said chute having one transverse dimension substantiallyequal to the corresponding transverse dimension of the chute so that the`objects are oriented with one transverse dimension of each parallel toone another, two vertically slidable extensions on opposite sides of theentrance to said chute, means for alternately reciprocating saidextensions from a non-extending to an extending position in order toagitate the objects situated close to the entrance so as to maintainsaid chute in a vfilled state at all times, means -for controlling theinterruption of said feeding means whenever a predetermined quantity ofobjects is located at the entrance of said chute awaiting entrancetherein, in order to control the total feed so as to maintain anadequate supply without overflow, and escapement means responsive to thepreforming pocket means for feeding `at least one object into eachpocket as the webs progress.

3. In a high speed packaging machine having a pair 0f webs broughttogether and sealed around each article packaged, wherein said webs aresubjected to a timed preforming pocket deformation at one side of eachof a pair of sealing rollers while the other side of said pair ofsealing rollers are juxtaposed tangentially for sealingsaid webs aroundthe articles as deposited in said preformed pockets, said rollers eachhaving peripherally `spaced commodity-defining pockets therein and atleast one circumferential groove around each roller separating saidpockets, the combination of a multiple feed mechanism comprising apreliminary hopper adapted to contain a large quantity of disc-shapedpellets at random, a sliding door adapted to open and control the ow ofpellets at random from the preliminary hopper, an inclined feed troughwith spaced feed channels, having longitudinal slots therein, arrangedto receive the disc-shaped pellets as they flow at random through thecontrol door of the preliminary hopper, a vibrator for settling therandom pellets on their flat sides and forv moving them downwardlytoward the discharge end of the feed channels, a narrow receptacleconstituting a main hopper below the discharge ends of the feed troughchannels, the sidewalls of said main hopper being spaced to hold thedisc-shaped pellets in flat position in a single plane, a plurality ofcolumns with narrow sidewalls corresponding to the width of the narrowmain hopper and spaced laterally from each other, each of said columnsopening at the top into the narrow receptacle to receive disc-shapedpellets therefrom, a pair of reciprocators, one at each side andextending upwardly, at the top of each column, means for actuating thereciprocators in alternation to liberate the pellets near the mouth ofeach column so that they will fall into said column, a pair of holes onopposite sides of the main hopper, an electric eye projecting raysthrough said holes, means responsive to the electric eye for stoppingthe vibrator when pellets are piled up at the top of the main hoppersufficiently to obscure the rays of the electric eye, a gate extendingdirectly above the space between ythe dies of the machine and extendinglongitudinally parallel to the axis of the dies across all of the feedcolumns, means actuated-by the dies and operating in synchronism withthe dies for moving the gate backward and forward to simultaneouslyrelease at least one pellet from each column whereby each group ofpellets falls into one set ata/snes of axially aligned pockets betweenthe webs, and package severing and strip-marking means comprising meansfor maintaining said continuous strip under tension as it leaves saidsealing rollers, said tension means including friction couplingoverdrive means and cooperating idler Wheel means for marking the stripprior to sever-- ing the packages, transverse shear means locatedadjacent to said tension means, means for actuating said shear means intimed relation with said strip for cutting the strip periodically toseparate a predetermined number of packages from the strip, means foradjusting the tin1- ing of said shear actuating means relative to saidstrip while the strip is in motion in order to render such adjustmentsimple for an unexperienced operator, and web slitting means cooperatingwith said circumferential grooves for longitudinally slitting said websjust prior to the sealing operation to form a plurality of strips ofpackaged articles.

4. A high speed packaging machine comprising a pair of cooperatingrotary, substantially cylindrical sealing dies having a plurality ofpockets in axial alignment, said pockets being grouped circumferentiallyand uniformly around the dies, a second pair of cylindrical dies axiallyparallel to and mounted on opposite sides of the sealing dies and havingprojections corresponding to the pockets in the first pair, means forrotating the dies in synchronism to feed a pair of webs between thepocket dies and the sealing dies in succession, whereby pockets arepreformed in the webs and enter the pockets in the sealing dies and amultiple feed mechanism comprising a preliminary hopper adapted tocontain a large quantity of disc-shaped pellets at random, a slidingdoor adapted to open and control the flow of pellets at random from thepreliminary hopper, an inclined feed trough with spaced feed channels,having longitudinal slots therein, arranged to receive the disc-shapedpellets as they `llow at random through the control door of thepreliminary hopper, a vibrator for settling the random pellets on theirat sides and for moving them downwardly toward the discharge end of thefeed channels, a narrow receptacle constituting a main hopper below thedischarge ends of the feed trough channels, the sidewalls of said mainhopper being spaced to hold the discshaped pellets in flat position in asingle plane, a plurality of columns with narrow sidewalls correspondingto the width of the narrow main hopper and spaced laterally from eachother, each of said columns opening at the top into the narrowreceptacle to receive discshaped pellets therefrom, a pair ofreciprocators, one

at each side and extending upwardly, at the top of each column, meansfor actuating the reciprocators in alternation to liberate the pelletsnear the mouth of each column so that they will fall into said column, apair of holes on opposite sides of the main hopper, an electric eyeprojecting rays through said holes, means responsive to the electric eyefor stopping the vibrator when pellets are piled up at the top of themain hopper sufficiently to obscure the rays of the electric eye, a gateextending directly above the space between the dies of the machine andextending longitudinally parallel to the axis of the dies across all ofthe feed columns, means actuated by the dies and operating insynchronism with the dies for moving the gate backward and forward tosimultaneously release at least one pellet from each column whereby eachgroup of pellets falls into one set of axially aligned pockets betweenthe webs.

5. A high speed packaging machine comprising a pair of cooperatingrotary, substantially cylindrical dies having a plurality of pockets inaxial alignment, said pockets being grouped circumferentially anduniformly around the dies, means for rotating the dies to feed a pair ofwebs over said dies and a multiple feed mechanism comprising apreliminary hopper adapted to contain a large quantity of disc-'shapedpellets at random, an inclined feed trough with spaced feed channels,having longitudinal slots therein, arranged to receive the disc-shapedpellets as they ow at random from the preliminary hopper, a vibrator forsettling the random pellets on their flat sides and for moving themdownwardly toward the discharge end of the feed channels, a narrowreceptacle constituting a main hopper below the discharge ends of thefeed trough channels, the sidewalls of said main hopper being spaced tohold the disc-shaped pellets in at position in a single plane, aplurality of columns with narrow sidewalls corresponding to the Width ofthe narrow main hopper and spaced laterally from each other, each ofsaid columns opening at the top into the narrow receptacle to receivedisc-shaped pellets therefrom, a pair of reciprocators, one at each sideand extending upwardly, at the top of each column, means for actuatingthe reciprocators in alternation to liberate the pellets near the mouthof each column so that they will fall into said column, a gate extendingdirectly above the space between the dies of the machine and extendinglongitudinally parallel to the axis of the dies across all of the feedcolumns, means actuated by the dies and operating in synchronismtherewith for moving the gate backward and forward to simultaneouslyrelease at least one pellet from each column.

6. In a high speed packaging machine having a pair of webs broughttogether and sealed around each article packaged, wherein said webs aresubjected to a time preforming pocket deformation at one side of each ofa pair of sealing rollers while the other sides of said pair of sealingrollers are juxtaposed tangentially for sealing said webs around thearticles as deposited in said preformed pockets, said rollers eachhaving peripherally spaced commodity-defining pockets therein and atleast one circumferential groove around each roller separating saidpockets, the combination of a feed mechanism comprising a chute forfeeding said articles to said machine, an entrance to said chute forreceiving said articles, means for feeding said articles to saidentrance at a rate exceeding the rate of packaging of said articles bysaid machine, and means for interrupting said feeding means whenever apredetermined quantity of said articles is at said entrance to avoidoverflow of said articles, and package severing and strip-marking meanscomprising means for maintaining said continuous strip under tension asit leaves said sealing rollers, said tension means including frictioncoupling overdrive means and cooperating idler wheel means for markingthe strip prior to severing the packages, transverse shear means locatedadjacent to said tension means, means for actuating said shear means intimed relation with said strip for cutting the strip periodically toseparate a predetermined number of packages from the strip, means foradjusting the timing of said shear actuating means relative to saidstrip while the strip is in motion in order to render lsuch adjustmentsimple for an unexperienced operator, and web slitting means cooperatingwith said circumferential grooves for longitudinally slitting said websjust prior to the sealing operation to form a plurality of strips ofpackaged articles.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS676,761 Morris June 18, 1901 867,288 Mueller Oct. 1, 1907 2,083,617Salsberg June 15, 1937 2,308,188 Madden Jan. 12, 1943 2,497,212 DonofrioFeb. 14, 1950 2,608,809 Stroop Sept. 2, 1952 2,611,225 Williams Sept.23, 1952 2,618,421 Basus Nov. 18, 1952 2,624,163 Stirn lan. 6, 19532,670,581 Stroop Mar. 2, 1954 2,745,410 Molins May 15, 1956 2,775,081Stirn et al 'Dec. 25, 1956

